November 22, 2024
by Carly Gray, Environmental Education Manager
If you’re curious about the health benefits of nature, take a moment to visit a local park or green space and simply breathe deeply. After just a minute, you might notice your shoulders relaxing, your heart rate slowing down. After an hour, how do you feel? Every time I lead people on outdoor nature experiences, one thing is certain: we all agree—being outside just feels good. Join us in exploring nature meditation and mindfulness.
Body and Mind Benefits
Connecting with the natural world has proven benefits for both body and mind. Research shows that spending time in nature can improve sleep, strengthen the immune system, reduce stress, and lower the risk of chronic diseases. Nature also boosts vitamin D levels, lowers blood pressure, increases endorphins and dopamine, and even improves eyesight. Healthy forests, thriving lakes and biodiverse wetlands are essential to our well-being, constantly working together to clean the air we breath, filter the water we drink, and provide vital protection against the impacts of climate change.
Although, the benefits don’t end there. While we often think about the physical effects of spending time outdoors, there’s much more going on. Nature has been shown to promote positive emotions like calmness, joy, and creativity. It helps foster concentration and improves cognitive function.
In fact, mindfulness practices—when we slow down and truly connect with the present moment—can have a profound impact on our well-being. Being in nature reminds us of this deep connection we have to all living beings, how we are a part of the web of life. Taking time outdoors to presently observe and participate in this connection has benefits to both mind and body for every human being on planet earth.
Credit: Carly Gray
Mental Health Benefits
Someone once told me that we do not fit mindfulness but we make mindfulness fit us. This resonated with me as I was never the type of person who could actually sit still and stop thinking without filling myself with self-judgement. Ever since I was young, I always found that going for a walk helped to clear my head. I am now aware of the benefits mindful connection to nature have especially on neurodivergent people. Living with ADHD, my brain can process information quickly and inconsistently. At times, it feels like I am operating at a constant state of overwhelm, the simplest tasks can feel like too much to begin. Learning was always a challenge for me as reading and writing processes felt extremely complex, while relational and experiential learning opportunities helped me recognize my potential.
Research shows that outcomes for attention in both children and adults can be improved by sustained time in nature, with the benefit of a reduce in levels of stress and anxiety. Which means, nature naturally helps to foster focus and attention, which we can further support through practicing mindfulness both outdoors and in. Perhaps, learning through curiosity-driven ways like inquiry also link to better academic outcomes for children with ADHD. For example, when I’m outdoors my keen sense of observation is stimulated and celebrated. Specifically, noticing all the fine details of each plant or being distracted by unique lichen shapes, I am feel engaged and attentive.
Credit: Carly Gray
Practicing Awareness
Practicing mindfulness in nature is more than just going for a hike. It’s about taking the time to consciously slow down and perceive the present moment. Focusing the mind on being here, now while connecting with your body.
Our senses are always collecting information for us, isolating them and using one at a time while we move through nature helps make the mind-body connection. Its incredible how slowly taking the time to perceive sensory information helps your nervous system relax. There are many other techniques that you can practice to do this effectively but a simple way is through your breath. Try taking a deep breath and allowing your thoughts to melt away as you focus solely on the sensation of the air moving in and out of your lungs.
Now imagine doing this as you walk along Pine Point Trail in the Whiteshell – listening to the water rush along the rocks, hearing the birds in the trees, and noticing the different colours of lichen throughout the trail. Listening for space between the natural sounds while you stop to touch the rocky surfaces that have been there for thousands of years. Maybe you take a moment to wonder just how many beings have stopped at that very same rock. It may take you a bit longer to get to the end of the trail, but the benefits are long lasting.
Finding Fracticals
We are naturally in a relaxed by the orderly chaos of nature. In comparison, we can be easily bore of human-made objects, while natural phenomena can keep our attention. We can use the term “fractical” to describe the similar yet different geometric patterns that naturally occur across different-sized scales. When you are outdoors, notice how the patterns you see are both predictable and surprising. The ways that the tree branches all reach out toward each other from their trunks, separating into smaller divisions. My favourite fractical is the way sunshine sparkles and dances on the surface of water.
Did you know, our eyes actually search for fractical stimuli and the presence of them create positive feelings. As mentioned, looking at nature even has has health benefits for our eyesight! Move through spaces slowly to observe and find the beauty in fracticals.
Credit: Carly Gray
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude has the power to change your day. It helps you to feel more satisfied in life and can boost self-esteem. For example, we can view gratitude as a mood, emotion, or a trait. Practicing gratitude helps you realize that you are a part of all of the universe and its goodness. It also puts your mind into a state of thankfulness and awe, two states that are easily accessible when you find yourself on a quiet Manitoba trail. Awe states and gratitude are both practices that take you out of focusing on your inner-self.
When you are out in nature it feels easier to see the bigger picture, to understand how the natural world interconnects, and where you fit into it all. Next time you are outside think about why we should be grateful to nature. Try to look for opportunities to see the world around you with awe. Take a deep moment and think about some of the gifts we get from nature.
How do we say thank you for these abundance of gifts? We will ensure our relationship with nature is building upon reciprocity, giving and receiving in equal measure. Reciprocity is a key component of many Indigenous Worldviews and Knowledge systems and is a way of conducting good relations with the natural world.
Impacts of Litter
Another way to be mindful is to make sure wild spaces stay clean of litter. This ensures that everyone can benefit from the positive health effect it has. In particular, cleanliness (like the absence of litter) in natural spaces can determine how much our mental health benefits from spending time outside. Clean nature areas links to lower rates of depression. Therefore, cleaner nature is beneficial to wildlife habitats, since it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere, and maintains the earth’s overall balance through biodiversity.
Credit Carly Gray
Reflection
Reflection is a large part of learning through experience. Which is what brings meaning to the moments that pass, being attentive in the moment helps with reflections. Therefore, if you are taking time to perceive the bark, birds, or water, then you will have more to remember. Feel free to bring along a journal to record your thoughts and observations. Perhaps draw one of the beautiful plants you find along the way!
How to Practice Nature Mindfulness
Feeling overwhelmed? Go for a walk.
Looks beautiful outside? Go for a walk.
Weather doesn’t look good? Go for a walk.
Can’t focus? Go for a walk.
(insert feeling here)? Go for a walk.
Credit: Carly Gray
How to Learn More:
CPAWS Resources:
Practice Mindfulness on a group hike
How does spending time in nature improve our physical health and mental well being
Clean up Litter in your Neighbourhood
Other Resources:
Green Time for ADHD-CHADD
Nature: How connecting with nature benefits our mental health-Mental Health Foundation